Kenetrek got its start by making boots for hunters. Boots not built for an intense mountain sheep hunt left the Kenetrek founder in pain and ready to quit. His experience led to the creation of the Kenetrek Mountain Boot and that attention to the end user’s needs has been the basis for the design for every Kenetrek boot since.
Earlier this year, Kenetrek announced the debut of the new Leather Personnel Carrier (LPC) model. Created for active duty personnel and in milspec Coyote Brown, the LPC is ready for duty but would also serve admirably as an outdoor multi-season boot.
To serve a variety of purposes and environments, the LPC is available with or without Thinsulate insulation and with or without steel toes for high impact resistance. The boots sent for evaluation were uninsulated (not a lot of need for insulation for boots that will be used in Southern Arizona) and regular toe.
I have to say that although the LPC does need a bit of a break-in period, they were pretty comfortable right out of the box. No pinching, no hotspots, no chafing. Overall a comfortable boot that will only get more comfortable over time. The eight-inch height and toe-to-calf lacing provides excellent ankle support and makes it easier to add additional pairs of socks if the conditions warrant.
To get a complete picture of the LPC’s capabilities, I wore them over a few months and in a wide variety of environments. I wore them to the office and for short walks in the desert environment around the building and did not have any issues. The boots were comfortable enough to wear all day without fatigue. The boots were comfortable on cool days as well as days that were over 100 degrees here in the desert Southwest.
I also wore the LPC’s on a camping trip into the foothills of the local mountains and took several hikes around the camp. The boots held up to running water with no leaks and hiking in loose sand was a not a chore. The ankle support kept water and sand out and made walking in the rough conditions easier.
The tread shed sand and mud and gave sure footing even when wet. Another plus was that the toe-to-calf lacing made it easy to get the boots on and off in the cramped confines of the tent and made it easier to check for any critters that may have holed-up overnight. A habit one adopts early on when camping in the desert. (My personal lesson was tipping up a boot and seeing a centipede drop out of the boot and run out of the tent during a camping trip when I first arrived in Arizona.)
Kenetrek has expanded their line of late to include purpose-built footwear for specific trades. Their hunting line, starting with their Mountain Boots, (the flagship of the Kenetrek product line) that has expanded to Desert Hikers and Safari Boots. Their work boot line started with the Lineman and the Wildland Fire boots, both crafted for the specific needs of those professions and now extended to the LPC. And like all of their products, the LPC is tough, durable and built for the long haul.
If you are in the market for a general-purpose boot that will handle pretty much whatever you throw at it, you couldn’t go wrong with the Kenetrek LPC. Better yet, if you know someone who is serving our country, buy a pair for them and help keep them as comfortable as possible from the ground up. They’ll be glad you did.–Randy Gibbs
Specs:
- 8″ tall, 2.8mm thick full grain rough-out leather uppers in Coyote Brown (color)
- Full-length, super support, tapered 7mm nylon midsoles conquer any terrain
- High traction deep lugged, oil resistant K-73 outsoles with increased toe and heel taper
- Non-insulated for comfort in warmer climates
- Windtex waterproof membrane
- Mens sizes 8-14, some half sizes available